Quick definition:A particularly strong enemy, usually met at the end of a level or story section, that tests the skills the player has learned and must be defeated to progress.
Meaning
A boss is an enemy designed to stand out. It is usually larger, tougher and more elaborate than ordinary opponents, and it often has its own arena, music and introduction scene, which signal that something important is about to happen in the story.
Fights are built around the skills taught earlier in the game. A boss may require precise dodging, careful use of an item, a clever attack on a weak point or teamwork among several players. Defeating it usually opens a new area, advances the story or gives a valuable reward.
Not all bosses are final. A mini-boss appears mid-level and is shorter and simpler, while the final boss ends the game. Some games use bosses sparingly to keep them special, while others include dozens, treating each as a showcase for a new idea or a new set of mechanics.
Origin:Boss is an ordinary English word for a person in charge, and it was applied to powerful enemies in arcade and home games. The idea of a leader who must be beaten after lesser opponents appears in some of the earliest action games. Exactly when players first used the word in this sense is unclear. Example:After clearing five rooms of smaller creatures, Tess opens a large door and finds a giant armoured crab blocking the exit. A health bar appears across the top of the screen. She dodges its claws, strikes its soft underside and, after three tense minutes, watches it collapse, unlocking the next area.
Did you know?Bosses often follow a pattern of phases, with new attacks appearing as their health falls. Players learn the patterns through repeated attempts, and many games treat the discovery of a boss's weakness as a puzzle as much as a fight.
